NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Ocean Way Nashville Studios is one of those places where a ton of big names have recorded. Dolly Parton. Bon Jovi. Taylor Swift. It's a pretty great venue for band Absolute Silence, as they remember where they started.
"Different sidewalks," laughed Steven Okoniewski, sitting next to fellow band members Robert Darmstadt and Harrison Nemarich.
Okoniewski and Darmstadt met as students at Belmont University. Then Okoniewki saw another student, Harrison Nemarich, on campus twirling some drumsticks.
"I yelled at him if he was a good drummer or not, and I made him come over and prove it," Okoniewski said. "Uh, we're still lookin'."
All three band members laughed.
"This building has so much heritage," Okoniewski continued. "So many incredible artists have recorded their records here."
The guys of Absolute Silence want to bring this place another important night in its story.
"Before I was in music, I worked with kids, mentoring at-risk youth," said producer Ryan Poole.
Poole was on board when the band had an idea called Begin Again.
"I like to dream as big as possible, so we thought, 'what's the biggest possible place we can do this?'" Okoniewski said. "Abbey Road. What's the American equivalent? Ocean Way makes sense. Maybe Abbey Rd. next year."
On October 23, Absolute Silence will perform at Ocean Way Nashville Studios and record a live album. It's a fundraiser event for Isaiah 117 House. Children stay there when they've just entered the foster care system and are waiting to be placed in a home.
"They just have a space for them to feel normal and safe while they wait for placement," Poole explained.
"They're really young when they face intense trauma," said Nemarich.
"It's not only artists' responsibility, but everybody's responsibility to do good," Okoniewski continued.
"We dreamt up this idea on our couch in our house," said Darmstadt.
Anyone who wants to go to the event, can go here.
Absolute Silence is looking to do this up big; strings, horns, a choir.
Yes, the band has those memories of where they started; house parties and sidewalk performances.
"We've busked on the Santa Monica pier because we didn't have enough gas money to from LA to San Francisco," Okoniewski laughed.
Being at a different place now, they want to give back in a way that matters.
"To be able to do something in such a cool place and help kids at the same time is a rare opportunity," Poole said.
Do you have a positive, good news story? You can email me at forrest.sanders@newschannel5.com.
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